Monday, September 20, 2021

Next by Nature - Dark Chocolate Quinoa - Sept. 20, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Tropical Valley Foods
Next by Nature - Dark Chocolate Quinoa 
Good - Good + 
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package
Calories: 210 calories in 1 serving (6 pieces)
Cost: $6.00 for 1 package 
Purchased from: Land's End gift shop, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate Breakfast Theme Week. 

Today's Next by Nature Dark Chocolate Quinoa pieces were produced by Tropical Valley Foods (Plattsburgh, NY). The company offers a line of chocolate covered fruit and nuts, some organic, some not, but generally without any additives or preservatives.

Today's chocolate offering served as a quick, pre-work morning snack. The resealable package contained two servings (six pieces per serving). 

The aroma notes of these crunchy snack nuggets included light grain, sourdough bread, and  chocolate notes. And each sweet* dark chocolate (with milk) piece was chock full of tiny, very crunchy, puffed quinoa orbs. 

Quinoa, a seed (usually referred to as a grain) is native to South America. (Countries of origin for the quinoa used for this offering included: Ecuador, Colombia and Peru.) It's become popular in the U.S. as a gluten-free grain option in recent decades in part due to its relatively high level of plant protein. (It contains some amount of all nine essential amino acids.)

*Ingredients: Dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, anhydrous milk fat, soy lecithin (emulsifier), vanilla), puffed quinoa.

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk, soy. Made in a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts, soy and dairy products."


The Yes Bar Co. - Dark Chocolate Chip Yes Bar - Sept. 19, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

The Yes Bar Co.
Dark Chocolate Chip Yes Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar 
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.49 for 1 bar 
Purchased from: Farm Fresh To You (add in to CSA box delivery service), online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Breakfast Surprise Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Chip Yes Bar was from The Yes Bar Co. (Oakland, CA). The company makes a line of "gourmet soft-baked nut bar(s)" with high-quality ingredients.

The Yes Bar messaging reminded the reader that it's possible to say yes..."to everything you want (and no to the things you don't)." You had me at certified gluten free, and "half the sugar of an apple."

This vegan (round cookie-shaped) bar had aroma notes (in order of appearance) with light cocoa, coconut, maple, slightly savory, mild nut and seed.

The bar had a soft, chewy texture and a hearty, satisfying feel. (This snack bar contained 5 grams of plant protein, and 17 grams of fat.)

Flavor notes included dark chocolate, coconut, nut, seed, and faint savory flavor notes.

Ingredients: "Organic almonds, organic maple syrup, organic dark chocolate (cocoa mass, coconut blossom sugar, cocoa butter), organic sunflower seeds, organic pumpkin seeds, cashews, organic coconut butter, macadamia nuts, organic coconut nectar, pecans, sesame seed butter, white chia seeds, organic ground flax seeds, Celtic sea salt, organic cinnamon, organic vanilla extract."

Allergen-related information: Contains almond, cashew, pecan, macadamia, coconut (and sesame seeds). "Made in a gluten free certified facility that handles eggs, milk, peanuts, soy, and tree nuts. May contain shell or pit fragments."
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